White Collar Fic: (Meet Me) At the Crossroads (Prologue)
Title: (Meet Me) At the Crossroads
Author: sheenianni
Artist: aragarna
Word Count: ~ 25,400 in total
Characters/Pairings: Neal Caffrey, Mozzie, Peter Burke, [Spoiler (click to open)]Neal/Kate
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Major for Season 1 and 2
Cheerleading and beta-credit: treonb
Summary: “Happily ever after isn’t for guys like us…” “It is this time. It is.” AU for Season 2.
A/N: This story has been written during the 2015 wc-reverse-bb for aragarna’s wonderful prompt, and she then made me a whole lot of other amazing art. Please go to her post and give her some love :)
___________________________________
PROLOGUE
Driving as fast as he dares without getting pulled over, Peter dreads that he won’t make it to the airport in time.
As it turns out, he needn’t have worried. At first, Peter is just relieved that the plane is still there. He wonders if Neal will call him, perhaps stop at his house instead of just disappearing in the wind; a talk, a goodbye, something. Isn’t it the least he has earned after these last six months? But Peter had known from the first day that it might end like this. On one hand, Kate and freedom, on the other a radius and a leash - it’s not hard to figure what Neal will pick. And yet - it’s not like that - except it kind of is.
It’s not just that, Peter thinks with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Anklet or not, Neal has a home here. He matters to the team, to Peter; he’s making a difference. He has a shot at a real life here, something not built on a lie. Meanwhile Kate is a wild card with her own agenda; Peter doesn’t trust her, and he trusts the deal Neal cut with the OPR even less. Getting on that plane might sound like freedom, but deep down the whole thing feels off and wrong.
For the sake of objectiveness, Peter tries to imagine himself in Neal’s place. A flash thought, he considers if it was El in Kate’s place - and he’s startled, because it’s like a far reaching epiphany. Grudgingly, Peter acknowledges he hasn’t been exactly sympathetic to Neal’s plea and his insistence that Kate was on his side; his blind devotion to the woman that barely deserved it. But if it was El waiting there… Peter imagines their reunion, sweet and tender, holding El after six months apart. He would be going crazy if they had been separated like this; he would want to kiss her, to be with her. Kate isn’t El, but to Neal she is, and Peter finally understands a bit what has been going through Neal’s head these past few months.
But he still wouldn’t get on that plane.
Because it wouldn’t be right. If he was a thief, and people had been hurt by his actions - he would stay, because it’s about justice, balance. Making amends.
El would understand that.
Peter can easily predict what Neal will do. He will give him a smile that’s half-apologetic and a bit too wide, then go on to reunite with Kate and flee away to places unknown - unless Peter stops him. The question is, does he have the right?
He didn’t expect this when he took Neal’s deal. He was ready for keeping an eye on Caffrey, for making sure Neal didn’t run, didn’t turn the FBI into his personal playground and didn’t screw up badly enough to get himself tossed back in prison. But somehow in the middle of being Neal’s handler, their respect for each other has turned into care and affection and they became a team. They became friends.
But despite their friendship, despite the life that Peter is offering him here, Neal will always pick Kate over him.
It hurts.
Peter barely finishes the thought when hears footsteps. Someone is approaching. Neal is here.
This is his moment.
He has one shot at changing Neal’s mind and stopping him from making a mistake. He can’t use his badge, can’t threaten or guilt or bully Neal into staying. He can just ask him to stay and hope that it’s enough.
And when it isn’t, he will at least get his chance to say goodbye.
* * *
Neal has been awaiting this very moment for nearly five years, yet he never expected it to be this hard.
He wants to run to the plane, to scoop Kate into his arms. They haven’t hugged each other since his arrest, haven’t kissed since their first breakup over six years ago, haven’t held a real conversation in over nine months. After everything that’s happened, this is their chance, the universe finally giving them a break. It’s their happily ever after, all that they promised to each other - it’s his happy ending. It is.
Damn Peter for making this so goddamn complicated.
But Peter’s words shake Neal to the core, because he’s not arresting him, he’s not denouncing Kate, he’s not talking to him as an FBI agent. He’s here as a friend, and he’s voicing many of the hard truths that Neal has known deep down but refused to acknowledge.
If this is his happy ending, why does it feel like running?
“Did I change your mind?” Peter asks hopefully, and Neal doesn’t have an answer.
He wants to be with Kate. He also doesn’t want to leave - but the recent events are still fresh on his mind.
For the last few months, Neal has been a puppet in Fowler’s game. He has come atop for the moment, but if he stays, where’s the guarantee that it will last? Something sharp and painful clutches at his heart -
He can’t. Not when there is Kate and freedom ahead. Part of being a good thief is knowing when to grab your prize, and Neal is one of the best. The plane is waiting for him.
Neal makes a few steps, and then he stops. He has to say goodbye, and he wants Peter to understand. He turns around.
“Peter-”
BOOM.
A shock wave. His body is thrown on the ground -
Neal turns around and his heart stops for a moment -
“No no no NOO!”
“No, stay back! Stay back, Neal”
“LET ME GO! KATE, NO!!!"
The plane is up in flames.
* * *
Part I
Author: sheenianni
Artist: aragarna
Word Count: ~ 25,400 in total
Characters/Pairings: Neal Caffrey, Mozzie, Peter Burke, [Spoiler (click to open)]Neal/Kate
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Major for Season 1 and 2
Cheerleading and beta-credit: treonb
Summary: “Happily ever after isn’t for guys like us…” “It is this time. It is.” AU for Season 2.
A/N: This story has been written during the 2015 wc-reverse-bb for aragarna’s wonderful prompt, and she then made me a whole lot of other amazing art. Please go to her post and give her some love :)
___________________________________
PROLOGUE
Driving as fast as he dares without getting pulled over, Peter dreads that he won’t make it to the airport in time.
As it turns out, he needn’t have worried. At first, Peter is just relieved that the plane is still there. He wonders if Neal will call him, perhaps stop at his house instead of just disappearing in the wind; a talk, a goodbye, something. Isn’t it the least he has earned after these last six months? But Peter had known from the first day that it might end like this. On one hand, Kate and freedom, on the other a radius and a leash - it’s not hard to figure what Neal will pick. And yet - it’s not like that - except it kind of is.
It’s not just that, Peter thinks with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Anklet or not, Neal has a home here. He matters to the team, to Peter; he’s making a difference. He has a shot at a real life here, something not built on a lie. Meanwhile Kate is a wild card with her own agenda; Peter doesn’t trust her, and he trusts the deal Neal cut with the OPR even less. Getting on that plane might sound like freedom, but deep down the whole thing feels off and wrong.
For the sake of objectiveness, Peter tries to imagine himself in Neal’s place. A flash thought, he considers if it was El in Kate’s place - and he’s startled, because it’s like a far reaching epiphany. Grudgingly, Peter acknowledges he hasn’t been exactly sympathetic to Neal’s plea and his insistence that Kate was on his side; his blind devotion to the woman that barely deserved it. But if it was El waiting there… Peter imagines their reunion, sweet and tender, holding El after six months apart. He would be going crazy if they had been separated like this; he would want to kiss her, to be with her. Kate isn’t El, but to Neal she is, and Peter finally understands a bit what has been going through Neal’s head these past few months.
But he still wouldn’t get on that plane.
Because it wouldn’t be right. If he was a thief, and people had been hurt by his actions - he would stay, because it’s about justice, balance. Making amends.
El would understand that.
Peter can easily predict what Neal will do. He will give him a smile that’s half-apologetic and a bit too wide, then go on to reunite with Kate and flee away to places unknown - unless Peter stops him. The question is, does he have the right?
He didn’t expect this when he took Neal’s deal. He was ready for keeping an eye on Caffrey, for making sure Neal didn’t run, didn’t turn the FBI into his personal playground and didn’t screw up badly enough to get himself tossed back in prison. But somehow in the middle of being Neal’s handler, their respect for each other has turned into care and affection and they became a team. They became friends.
But despite their friendship, despite the life that Peter is offering him here, Neal will always pick Kate over him.
It hurts.
Peter barely finishes the thought when hears footsteps. Someone is approaching. Neal is here.
This is his moment.
He has one shot at changing Neal’s mind and stopping him from making a mistake. He can’t use his badge, can’t threaten or guilt or bully Neal into staying. He can just ask him to stay and hope that it’s enough.
And when it isn’t, he will at least get his chance to say goodbye.
* * *
Neal has been awaiting this very moment for nearly five years, yet he never expected it to be this hard.
He wants to run to the plane, to scoop Kate into his arms. They haven’t hugged each other since his arrest, haven’t kissed since their first breakup over six years ago, haven’t held a real conversation in over nine months. After everything that’s happened, this is their chance, the universe finally giving them a break. It’s their happily ever after, all that they promised to each other - it’s his happy ending. It is.
Damn Peter for making this so goddamn complicated.
But Peter’s words shake Neal to the core, because he’s not arresting him, he’s not denouncing Kate, he’s not talking to him as an FBI agent. He’s here as a friend, and he’s voicing many of the hard truths that Neal has known deep down but refused to acknowledge.
If this is his happy ending, why does it feel like running?
“Did I change your mind?” Peter asks hopefully, and Neal doesn’t have an answer.
He wants to be with Kate. He also doesn’t want to leave - but the recent events are still fresh on his mind.
For the last few months, Neal has been a puppet in Fowler’s game. He has come atop for the moment, but if he stays, where’s the guarantee that it will last? Something sharp and painful clutches at his heart -
He can’t. Not when there is Kate and freedom ahead. Part of being a good thief is knowing when to grab your prize, and Neal is one of the best. The plane is waiting for him.
Neal makes a few steps, and then he stops. He has to say goodbye, and he wants Peter to understand. He turns around.
“Peter-”
BOOM.
A shock wave. His body is thrown on the ground -
Neal turns around and his heart stops for a moment -
“No no no NOO!”
“No, stay back! Stay back, Neal”
“LET ME GO! KATE, NO!!!"
The plane is up in flames.
* * *
Part I